


Things Will Never Change For Us

by owlways_and_forever



Series: Cemented in the Heart [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen, Hogwarts Founders Era, Salazar's betrayal, Salazar's departure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:21:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27746650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlways_and_forever/pseuds/owlways_and_forever
Summary: Salazar's news hits one person particularly hard.
Relationships: Helga Hufflepuff/Salazar Slytherin
Series: Cemented in the Heart [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2029681
Kudos: 8





	Things Will Never Change For Us

_Will you just lie here and  
_ _just forget the world?_

Helga sniffled lightly as she curled up amidst the large, ancient tree roots. This was her safe place, hidden amongst the wood and the leaves, the banks of the lake only a few feet away. She should have known though, that she wouldn’t be safe here today. Of course he knew her spot, and of course he would come looking for her.

Salazar stood above her, watching her with a concerned expression on his face. He was almost out of sight, like a shadow in the corner of your eye, but she could feel his presence, even if she couldn’t see him. It was like that when you loved someone - electricity whenever they were nearby. Though today, Helga felt like she were getting pummeled by lightning.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his deep bass vibrating in her chest.

“You don’t have to do this,” Helga replied, her voice sounding small and weak to her ears.

“I can’t abandon my principles.”

Salazar sank to the ground, careful not to get any closer. His amber eyes were trained on her with an intensity that made her squirm.

“But what if you’re wrong?” she asked.

Helga new that it amazed their friends that she and Salazar could possibly work as a couple with such differing views, but she thought it made all the sense in the world. She made him rethink his prejudices and fears, and he helped guard her from naivete. They were well suited, even if no one else thought so.

“I wish I could stay for you,” he whispered, hand twitching forward like he wanted to reach for her. “But this is no longer my place.”

Helga nodded, tears pricking at her eyes for the second time that day.

“And I wish you didn’t feel that this was a personal affront against you,” Salazar added.

Her head snapped up at that, fixing him with her grey eyes.

“How can it not be? You’re leaving because of views that are completely opposed to mine,” she replied. “When you refuse to work with people who believe as I do, you reject me.”

“I’m not the one refusing anything,” he said, shaking his head firmly.

“You could have fought harder to stay,” Helga snapped, her expression immediately softening as the words left her lips. No matter what, she never could bear to hurt him. “Please, if you’re going to leave, just do it. There’s nothing you can say that will lessen the pain it causes me.”

A feeling of betrayal was flooding through her, though she couldn’t tell what caused it. Was it Salazar and his abrupt abandonment, cutting her to her core? Godric and Rowena, for refusing to accept their friend as he was? Or was it her own heart, trying so desperately to cling to this man even as he hurt her?

Salazar seemed to hesitate for the briefest of moments, but then he nodded once, and stood. As he walked away, Salazar looked back over his shoulder once, but Helga had buried her head in her hands, not seeing the look of pain on his face that matched her own.


End file.
